Open GardensComments from our members

Visited last weekend, quite an impressive display of crocus, cyclamen,aconites and other spring bulbs. It was very busy though! Probably better to visit during the week. I thought this was an RHS garden and went armed with my membership card, but it isnt! Entrance fee £4.50, I think £3 may be more appropriate. Nice to visit, perhaps a couple of weeks later would have been better.

A lovely small castle, built 14th - 17th centuries, with a walled fruit, vegetable and ornamentalgarden laid out in the Late Victorian era. Now owned by the National Trust for Scotland. The garden is managed organically and many heritage varieties from Garden Organic's Heritage Seed Library are grown here. Visit in summer for the best colours. Woodland and meadow walks, tearoom, exhibitions and a children's adventure playground add further interest.

A really peaceful place - with interesting garden and lovely sculptures.
Well worth a detour for!

Great little garden in a gem of a Cotswold village - a 'mini valley' location and some clever planting make this well worth visiting, perhaps in combination (and in contrast to) nearby Hidcote Manor. This is gardening with a sense of humour. Last visit was in April when there were spectacular scents from Hyacinths and Osmanthus.

www.milldenegarden.co.uk. Open March 18th, Tues to Fri, 10 - 5

Went a couple of years ago in July. The island beds were amazing, and it shows how big some grasses can grow. There is a lot to amuse as well as the gardens there are trains, if you like that sort of thing. I spent my day in the gardens and found it instructive. I also went to the nursery, the plants were reasonably priced but not all you see in the gardens are available. There was a water centre but I did not visit. Would say its worth the visit if your that way but not as varied as a day out at Barnsdale.

According to the Warwick Chamber of Trade web site:
"Close to the town centre, and behind the Tourist Information Centre, is the unexpected haven of the Pageant Garden.
In this public open space are held civic garden parties; it forms the backdrop for wedding photographs and the huge chestnut trees cast a welcome shade to passers by."

It was pretty uninspiring on our visit in January -- little of the planting was in at an attractive stage, and the admittedly impressive trees were bare. I'm sure it's a lot more pleasant in season.

There's a leaflet available by the £1.50 honesty box. Here's some facts lifted from it:

The Mill Garden is the private garden of hte late Arthur Measures.

This peaceful garden stands in a place which, for many centuries was one of hustle and business. The whole of the traffic from the town going South and East crossed it on its way to the old bridge; earlier still to the ford. For hundreds of years traffic to and from the Castle Corn Mill came to it. At times when the Castle building work was in progress, it was little better than a stone mason's yard.

Many famous people must have come this way - all the Earls of Warwick, some of our kings and queens, probably William Shakespeare and common folk too from the town and the surrounding countryside.

Times of opening: 9am to 6pm, April 1st - October 31st. (We went on a sunny Sunday in January - I suppose we must have been lucky to find it open). Adults £1.50, young children with adults free, no dogs.

£134,880 has been raised for national and local charities between 1974 and 2006. Garden proceeds will go towards keeping The Mill Gardens open to the public, and to support National Gardens Scheme and 35 other charities.

Yes - fabulous! When we first went, our daughter was only about 5 and she took one look at the house frontage and burst into tears! Having comforted her, we asked what was wrong - it was because she found it so overwhelmingly beautiful. Says it all, really, doesn't it. I do hope that it stays as an open garden - with no Christopher Lloyd I know there are financial problems.

I agree with Andrew - I love Hidcote and I have been back there several times at different times of the year. Always beautiful. Maybe we could ask them for a GoY private opening, Andrew?

Good at any time of the year but try to get there for the Yellow Book opening in September (it was 23rd Sept this year) when the asters are outstanding. The Head Gardener does a guided tour at 11am which is well wrth getting there for.

I agree with spritzhenry - this garden is a must-see. A useful hint - get there when it first opens and head straight for the bit you want to see first before the crowds get there. The Lime Walk in April/May and the Rose Garden in June come under this heading

I'm going to disagree with you Littlelarford. Hidcote is my favourite garden - its only fault is it is full of people! A plantaholics heaven

I totally agree Heather, a must-see. A thought-provoking garden, you'll either love it or hate it but look out for all sorts of interesting plants

Stunning in the rhodo season (I was there on May 20th a few years back)

If you like cottage-style gardens, this one is a must. Planted by the late Margery Fish, mainly in the 1960s when cottage plants were out of vogue, she did much to resurrect this type of garden. One or two parts under restoration but lots to see. National Collection of hardy geraniums, loads of plants for sale, pricey eatery

This is a must for any garden lover. Probably good at any time but there is a June border so that's a good month to aim for a visit

Philip and Elizabeth Henslowe invite you come and vist us at Moyclare, at Liskeard in Cornwall.
Being a Cornish garden Moyclare is at its most spectacular in the Spring and early Summer so we are open to the public, without appointment, during April, May, and June at weekends and on Bank Holiday Mondays, from 2pm to 5pm. We look forward to seeing you!

Thanks for pointing that out Andrea. I have corrected the entry and the map position.

Whoever said Vancouver Island was the United States of America might have racked off a load of Canadians by now!! It is off the west coast of Canada, off Vancouver.